[12] A South Carolina officer estimated that only one in every 400 shots fired resulted in a hit. Both Union and Confederate armies used this accuracy to devastating effect, flinging the .58-caliber, 500-grain Mini balls at each other from up to 500 yards out. The Perpetually Frozen North. During 1863, Sharps was the carbine prominently used by Union soldiers. Given the Souths smaller manufacturing base compared to the North, it was imperative it import arms. We have an old rifle that has been passed on through my wifes family from, we believe, the Ciivil War. The rifling also improved precision over traditional musket. Mini ball rifles - Various rifles were able to shoot mini balls, which created large, gaping wounds in the targets that they hit. The rifled musket was the dominant military long-gun design of the day and, as its name suggests, was a stepping stone between the musket and rifle. The Spencer carbine and rifle were first presented to the government in 1860, but were rejected by the United States because they were 7 shooters and fired too fast for accuracy. The North was thus able to supply its own small arms needs, while the South had to continue to rely on foreign sources, eventually purchasing 580,000 rifles. Serial numbers are a way to pin down an exact date for antique weapons, so long as their manufacturer's historic records are publicly available. The single-shot rotating-block carbine utilized one of the breakthrough firearms technologies of the time the self-contained cartridge. John Russell is a Civil War Historian and Collector who brought a historic Enfield rifle to show off at a Texas Independence Day Party in late February. Springfield, Sharp, Henry, Spencer and the Austrian Lorentz. k.k. The unfortunate experience the army had had with these led to a stigma against repeating rifles, combined with the old fear that they (and single-shot breech loaders) would encourage men to waste ammunition. 27, No. The Sharps Carbine, on the other hand, had no such problems. The majority of Le Mats that actually saw use in battle were produced in France and shipped via the United Kingdom to the Confederacy. The men's main complaint about these rifles was that the unusually shaped cartridge often got stuck in the barrel after firing. The rare Confederate Le Mat revolver is another highly desirable Civil War gun. While most shoulder fired rifles during the time fired a bullet between 350 and 500 grains propelled by 40 to 60 grains of powder the Henry rifle shot a small .44 bullet of only 200 grains and 26 to 28 grains of black powder, giving it a quite short range. The first contract called for 5,000 Model 1861 caliber .36 revolvers at a cost of $12 each. The Springfield Armory produced the most popular rifle of the Civil War, the Springfield model 1861 musket rifle. The Burnside rifle was a carbine developed by General Ambrose Burnside in 1856. Granville Stuart's Sharps Model 1874 Creedmoor No. To determine the height of the unidentified Civil War soldier, an employee of The Horse Soldier store in Gettysburg, Pa . Sharps rifles of the Civil War era tend to be unique and more sought after Civil War rifle finds. This rifle was manufactured for the Union army. Most of the rifles during that time were loaded with a small lead musket ball or with a minnie ball (or Mini ball) and black powder. American soldiers liked it because its .577 cal. [18][20], Some soldiers considered the Enfield to be superior to the Springfield in terms of quality and accuracy. [1][2], One significant advantage the rifled musket had over the smoothbore was its effective range. The inventor of the gun was able to mass produce a cartridge that had a powerful powder charge. If it was manufactured between 1860-1864, chances are pretty high that it was used in some capacity in the war. The rifle was completely original and still retains almost all its blue coloring on the barrel. The first rifled muskets had used a larger .69 caliber Mini ball, since they had simply taken .69 caliber smooth bore muskets and rifled their barrels. Tests conducted by the U.S. Army indicated that the .58 caliber was more accurate at a distance. There was also the Model 1859 Sharps rifle, a single-shot breechloader. Very few Burnside rifles can be found still in this excellent of condition. Are there any stamping on the barrels or locks? Get the 76th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. [11], Breechloading and repeating rifles promised significant improvements over muzzleloading rifles, particularly repeaters as they allowed a far greater rate of fire than was possible with single-shot rifles. Jason, welcome to The Firearms Forum. There were nevertheless drawbacks to these weapons, as early breechloaders leaked gas at the breech and repeaters were technically complex and required metallic cartridges which could be unreliable. Theres little wonder that, Hugh Lowther, the fifth Earl of Lonsdale, squandered a massive fortune through his generosity and out-sized reputation as a womanizer, horseman, Sooner or later, everything old is new again, author Stephen King wrote in his 2005 crime thriller, The Colorado Kid. This sentiment certainly. The old gal looks rode hard and put away wet. Like other Springfield rifles it was first produced at the Springfield Armory, but to meet war demands twenty arms manufacturers were contracted to increase production. Some were considered to be of the finest quality, and were sometimes praised as being superior to the Enfield. Forum, DDC42030-F585-4F92-B823-49A679E01E19.jpeg, 3ABEA3B2-F434-4B20-8432-553099FB0982.jpeg, 3A863C0B-4D25-41C2-BE49-FD017E05A9F8.jpeg, 376D9B33-1DE3-4CE3-AC10-E032DD55FB5D.jpeg, 61689209-F215-4F7E-896C-D39323C89621.jpeg. They are found, though, in many forms. The Civil War era is an antique arms collector's dream for the same reason it was a nightmare for the Ordnance Department: a dizzying array of weapons and ammunition. Polly Pocket toys may be small in size, but they're big on value. The black powder at the time quickly fouled the barrel, making reloading slower and more difficult. A sketch details the 14th Brooklyn regiment's uniform jacket, vest and kepi. In addition to the expected spherical shape of ball ammunition, there are impacted balls (those that were fired and hit something) and spent balls (those that were fired and eventually ran out of energy without hitting something). These used the less reliable Maynard tape primer firing mechanism which when damp could cause misfires, a flaw that had forced its original retirement in 1860 until it was re-introduced to meet the arms shortage. p. 73-74, Coggins,J. Extraordinary Civil War Era Sharps New Model 1863 percussion Saddle Ring carbine. This outstanding "finest known" U.S. Army Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver is rated in excellent plus, as issued condition, about as near to mint as possible for a military contract revolver from more than a century and a half ago. p. 249-250, Hess,E.J. Starting in 1850 and throughout the Civil War, roughly 100,000 Sharps carbines were produced for military use. With all due respect, the rear sight is the same as on the 1863 Springfield. The side with the best production plants and firepower was ultimately more likely to win the war. The only breechloading rifle (not built as a carbine like the Burnside) firing a primed-metallic cartridge (a .50 cal. Griffith,P.(2001). Confederate General Braxton Braggs LeMat revolver realized an incredible $103,500 during Rock Island Auction Company's December 2021 Premier Firearms Auction. Slight improvements were made on the rifle in 1863 and new production Springfield rifles were called the Model 1863. The Colt revolver made its way to be the second most common military hand gun of the Confederacy. The revolver was in in good condition retaining gray and brown patina and had character with a few dents and scratches. Fact #5: Like previous wars, Civil War artillery could fire multiple types of ammunition. Thus, the short-lived Burnside rifle didn't become a major winner with soldiers during the war. And the .44 round was relatively weaker compared to the dominant repeater of the time, the Spencer. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Whitworth Rifle. More accurate firearms, able to be fired at a higher rate, combined with outdated military tactics to pulverize vast swaths of men in the blue and the gray. For years, one of the standard manuals used in the US Army had been an 1835 translation by General Winfield Scott of a French work. Many British Enfield rifles but they were horrible on the troops hands and were regularly replaced with the Springfield rifles of fallen solders. The Henry rifle had a copper or brass cartridge that effectively sealed the breech of the gun so that the hot propellant gases would be held inside of the gun. Most rifles of this era were muzzle loaded rifled muskets. There were only around 4,000 fluted cylinder Colts of this design produced, so that combined with its Confederate rarity boosted its price tag. Appraiser, Seller and Dealer of Civil War Guns to include Revolvers, Pistols, Rifles, Muskets, Carbines and Cannons, Union and Confederate. Click here for more information. After experimenting with the failed Maynard primer system on the Model 1855 musket, the Model 1861 reverted to the more reliable percussion lock. Civilian models did see war time uses if a soldier privately purchased the firearm, but it is hard to tell if the Civil War gun was for battle or just purchased by someone for general protection. It is close, but not quite right. Their primary use was anti-materiel such as setting fire to vehicles and ammunition, since their fragmentary properties were deemed at best to cause unnecessarily cruel wounds. In order to hit a target at distances beyond 100 yards, the firer had to carefully adjust their sights and accurately estimate the range, which could be difficult in the havoc of battle. But unlike previous iterations of the musket, the bore was rifled, which allowed the Model 1861 and its ilk to take full advantage of a deadly new technology the Mini ball. When one side gained the upper hand, they would finish off the attack with a bayonet charge. The Lorenz rifle was similar in design to the Enfield rifle-musket. While the Henry was carried and used by men in the Civil War it was not widely accepted or popular by the military. The most widely accepted figure estimates 620,000 men lost their lives in the four years of war. During the American Civil War, there was a real transitory period happening within the firearms industry. This is most definitely a sporting arm and not a military arm. The rifle showed gray patina and mild wear from use which is pretty astounding considering the age. Many unique Civil War revolvers and rifles can be found at Rock Island Auction Company. I can't tell from the pictures if the barrels are Damascus or not. One of the most fascinating markings on the gun is carved initials in the stock of the gun. At Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain ordered any man who still carried an Enfield to replace it with a Springfield salvaged from the battlefield. Yet, Colt collectors are willing to pay even for these less functional firearms, with one recently selling at auction for $2,550. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:22. p. 109-110, Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Army. Shortly before the Civil War, William J. Hardee (later to become a Confederate lieutenant general) updated it to include information on rifles, but he still assumed the use of linear formations in the book. It looks like the wood has been sanded and refinished. Most Colt Revolving Rifles were eventually sold off by the War Department for 55 cents just to get rid of them. You can also buy research materials from one of our affiliates at our Books for . The Impossible Takes Longer Winter 1995, Vol. But weaponry advancements also played a large role. It was second only to the Springfield model 1861 in popularity. These home goods ranged from coats to shoes to even weapons. During the American Civil War, an assortment of small arms found their way onto the battlefield.Though the muzzleloader percussion cap rifle was the most numerous weapon, being standard issue for the Union and Confederate armies, many other firearms, ranging from the single-shot breech-loading Sharps and Burnside rifles to the Spencer and the Henry rifles - two of the world's first repeating . Elwood Shelton is an online content developer for Gun Digest. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. I would guess the gun originated in Belgium. With a B.S. We specialize in arms made by Colt, Remington, Sharps, Spencer, Union . This rifle had first seen action in the Second Italian War of Independence. While both the Union and Confederate armies had their own standard weapons that they issued to the enlisted, soldiers would frequently bring their own supplies from home with them to the front lines. Rifle Musket. Christopher Spencers design limited the chance of dirt and other obstructions from rendering the carbine non-functional, an important feature for a rifle bound for battle. ammunition used by both Union and Confederate armies. Linear formations were thus rarely seen any more (although it did occur in the Battle of Brawner's Farm the evening before Second Bull Run). However, most American army officers in 1861 had been schooled in obsolete Napoleonic tactics, especially since many of them had served in the Mexican War, which was still fought in the old way with smoothbore muskets and linear formations. Calibre .52 and Gwyn and Campbell carbine, Prussian Muskets (hand-written onto form), Austrian Muskets (hand-written onto form), This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 17:08. The Lorenz rifle was originally .54 caliber. United Kingdom:Yale University Press. United Kingdom:Greenwood Press. Yes Sir, I unloaded one just the other day. How to classify and identify Civil War rifles like the Henry Repeater. Any identification marks are most likely on the bottom of the barrels, under the wood. Visit the Civil War Arms Index. Through the American Civil War, there was difficulty with arms manufacturing and keeping soldiers on both sides equipped with the most advanced weaponry of the time. Almost all rifles were made with iron barrels, while only some, like the Burnside, used steel, which then was expensive. Engagements, however, generally happened at much closer range, making the 1861 all the more deadly. [2] see Like the Henry, the Spencer wasn't used very much by the Confederacy because, although they could capture the weapon, they were unable to get a consistent supply of ammunition necessary. Approximately 900,000 Enfield rifles were imported by both the North and South during the Civil War and it was considered the best of the foreign-sourced rifles. in Public History, Megan is fascinated by vintage & antique items. The flintlock, which had been in use for almost two hundred years, had been replaced by the caplock in the 1840s. Took a propane torch to heat them and I had not removed all the caked in powder. Whitworth rifles were equipped with either Enfield style sights or telescopic sights. Considered by many to be the premier Mini-style rifled musket of the day, the Pattern 1853 Enfield could readily outperform its counterparts on the battlefield. 1861. Hi. She is dedicated to preserving history and shares her knowledge through LoveToKnow's antiques channel. But even with those drawbacks, its hard to argue that a soldier with a Henry in his hands didn't have a great advantage over nearly any enemy he met. The American Civil War still remains the deadliest conflict in our nations history. [20], The second-most widely used rifle of the Civil War, and the weapon most widely used by the Confederates, was the British Pattern 1853 Enfield.
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